After examining the depths of New Jersey’s Municipal Court System, experts argue that the localities have too much power. The fairness of the entire system is being questioned.Your wallet, too, is at risk if you are a part of the big summertime crowds down the shore.
The Asbury Park Press reported on this issue. As an example, a Neptune resident who forgot to renew her dog licenses had to pay extravagant fines in her local municipal court in Neptune, New Jersey. While a dog renewal fee costs $17, Karen instead spent a day in municipal court paying $122.00 in fines.
The Asbury Park Press refers to the municipal court system as one that: “increasingly treats hundreds of thousands of residents each year as human ATMs.”
Have you ever fallen prey to the Municipal Court cash machine? Considering small Jersey Shore towns’ Municipal Court revenues have doubled in the last 5 years, odds are that you have been or will be someday.
Why are fines increasing in these local Municipal Courts? The answer is simple: towns have embarked on a quest for new revenue. Jersey Shore towns have the ability to pass new rules or adjust fines, which is why many local residents are finding their wallets diminished after a day at their municipal court.
Many Jersey Shore towns relied on municipal court revenue to support their municipal budgets last year, more than $26.2 million in 2015 alone.
Going forward, the cash-machine isn’t going to stop running! Beware if you are part of the crowd at the Jersey Shore this Summer. You may need a good municipal court attorney. Shore towns like Asbury Park, Belmar, Avon, Bradley Beach, Avalon, Seaside Heights, Point Pleasant Beach, Stone Harbor, Sandy Hook, Manasquan, Toms River Sea Girt, Ocean City, Ocean Grove, Spring Lake, Long Branch, and Cape May have the highest increases in traffic tickets and court revenue. Watch for those stubborn yellow lines when you’re parking and make sure you’re not within 10 ft. of a fire hydrant, or you could find yourself paying some steep fines at the Municipal Court ATM. Everyone knows, a trip to the Jersey Shore is expensive enough without the added fines!
Schwartz & Posnock has handled Municipal Court cases including traffic ordinance-violations, disorderly persons offenses, and criminal matters throughout the State of New Jersey, for over thirty years. We have a proven track record of excellent results for our clients. Please contact us in any one of our convenient locations, including our Monmouth County office, located in Eatontown (at the Jersey Shore), our Essex County office, located in Livingston, our Union County office, located in Linden, or our Middlesex County office, located in East Brunswick, to discuss your case. You may call the experienced criminal defense attorneys of Schwartz & Posnock at 732-544-1460 or email us at info@schwartzposnock.com.